Periodontal problems
Periodontitis also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and without treatment can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis can cause tooth loss.
Periodontitis is common but largely preventable. It’s usually the result of poor oral hygiene.
Healthy gums are firm and pale pink and fit snugly around teeth.
Signs and symptoms of periodontitis can include:
Swollen or puffy gums
Bright red, dusky red or purplish gums
Gums that feel tender when touched
Gums that bleed easily
Pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing
Spitting out blood when brushing or flossing your teeth
Bad breath
Pus between your teeth and gums
Loose teeth or loss of teeth
Painful chewing
New spaces developing between your teeth
Gums that pull away from your teeth (recede), making your teeth look longer than normal
The sooner you seek care, the better your chances of reversing damage from periodontitis.
Causes
Periodontitis starts because of food deposition which forms plaque which hardens to form calculus.
Plaque can cause gingivitis, the mildest form of gum disease. Gingivitis is irritation and inflammation of the part of your gum tissue around
the base of your teeth (gingiva). Gingivitis can be reversed with professional treatment and good home oral care.
Ongoing gum inflammation can cause periodontitis, eventually causing pockets to develop between your gums and teeth that fill with plaque,
tartar and bacteria. In time, these pockets become deeper, filling with more bacteria. If not treated, these deep infections cause a loss of tissue and bone,
and ultimately you may lose one or more teeth.
Risk factors
Factors that can increase your risk of periodontitis include:
Gingivitis
Poor oral health habits
Smoking or chewing tobacco
Certain diseases, such as diabetes
Hormonal changes, such as those related to pregnancy or menopause
Recreational drug use, such as smoking marijuana or vaping
Obesity
Inadequate nutrition, including vitamin C deficiency
Genetics
Certain medications that cause dry mouth or gum changes
Conditions that cause decreased immunity, such as leukemia, HIV/AIDS and cancer treatment
Prevention
Brush your teeth twice a day or, better yet, after every meal or snack.
Use a soft toothbrush and replace it at least every three months.
Consider using an electric toothbrush, which may be more effective at removing plaque and tartar.
Floss daily.
Use a mouth rinse to help reduce plaque between your teeth, if recommended by your dentist.
Supplement brushing and flossing with an interdental cleaner, such as a dental pick, interdental brush or dental stick specially designed to clean between your teeth.
Get regular professional dental cleanings, on a schedule recommended by your dentist.
Don’t smoke or chew tobacco
Treatment:
The goal of periodontitis treatment is to thoroughly clean the pockets around teeth and prevent damage to surrounding bone. You have the best chance for successful treatment when you also adopt a daily routine of good oral care, manage health conditions that may impact dental health and stop tobacco use.
Nonsurgical treatments
If periodontitis isn’t advanced, treatment may involve less invasive procedures, including:
Scaling.
Scaling removes tartar and bacteria from your tooth surfaces and beneath your gums. It may be performed using instruments, a laser or an ultrasonic device.
Root planing.
Root planing smoothens the root surfaces, discouraging further buildup of tartar and bacteria
Antibiotics.
Topical or oral antibiotics can help control bacterial infection. Topical antibiotics can include antibiotic mouth rinses or insertion of gels containing antibiotics in the space between your teeth and gums or into pockets after deep cleaning.
Surgical treatments
If you have advanced periodontitis, treatment may require dental surgery, such as:
Flap surgery (pocket reduction surgery).
The periodontist makes tiny incisions in your gum so that a section of gum tissue can be lifted back, exposing the roots for more effective scaling and root planing. Because periodontitis often causes bone loss, the underlying bone may be recontoured before the gum tissue is sutured back in place. After you heal, it’s easier to clean these areas and maintain healthy gum tissue.
Tissue grafting
Tissue grafting is also a surgical procedure that involves using soft tissue grafts to treat gum line recession. In this procedure, the surgeon removes tissue from one part of the body and attaches it to the damaged gum portion. The tissue grafts are usually obtained from the mouth itself. The tissue grafting procedure not only protects the gum from further damage but it also conceals the roots of the teeth.
Laser therapy- Some dentists use laser therapy to prevent the damage of roots and gums by reducing the size of the pocket and restore the connective tissues.
The dentists at the V DENTAl Clinic are experienced and help to evaluate your oral health and suggest the most appropriate tentative treatment plan which may be a long turn or a short term treatment.
We specialize in providing basic procedures with the aid of the best-updated procedure. Additional treatments offered by the clinic come at a very affordable price and they also provide flexible payment gateways.
